Player Ratings - Round 2

The Western Bulldogs recorded their first victory of the season on Sunday, accounting for the Gold Coast Suns by 48 points at Mars Stadium.

A nine-goal opening term was the catalyst for the win, and gave the Bulldogs a lead that never really looked under threat, with several stars rising to the top in a commanding win.

1. Adam Treloar

Was crucial in the early exchanges, being involved in several key centre bounce chains that helped the Bulldogs get the jump on the scoreboard. It set up a productive afternoon for him, finishing the match with 27 disposals and eight tackles – 7

2. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan

Struggled playing as a deep forward for most of the match, with Sam Collins doing well to quell both he and Naughton. Roamed further up the ground as the game went on and enjoyed a bit more success, taking six marks (including two contested), but only one of his 13 disposals resulted in a goal, and it was the final score of the day from the goal square. Still encouraging to see that despite wearing a tough opponent he wasn’t completely invisible – 5

3. Cody Weightman

A breathtaking opening term, Weightman did as he pleased to start the match, kicking four goals in the opening term and causing the Suns’ defence all sorts of headaches. His impact largely waned from that point on, but by then he’d already done more than enough damage to set the Bulldogs up for a big win, and finished the day with six goals – 9

With an equal-career best six goals, Cody Weightman was the star of the show in Ballarat. Source: Getty Images

4. Marcus Bontempelli

We’re becoming so used to these types of performances that they don’t really impress us as much anymore. But they absolutely still should. 32 disposals (game-high), 19 contested possessions (game-high), 567m gained (game-high), 11 clearances (game-high), and topped it all off with two terrific goals – 9

9. Ryley Sanders

Freed from the baptism of fire he was thrown into last week, Sanders shrugged it all aside to put in a tidy performance that featured a good blend of attack and defence. A 22-disposal effort, that included six clearances, five tackles, all with a disposal efficiency of 86.4%, and was inches away from his first goal for the club; an effort in the second term that hit the post – 7

10. Sam Darcy

Called in to replace Rory Lobb in the forward-ruck role, Darcy was excellent in what was just his eight match. His 15 disposals included six marks that were taken all around the ground (three intercept, two inside-50, and two contested), while also laying four tackles, picking up three clearances, and kicking 2.0. His work in the ruck was also impressive, winning 15 hitouts (including three to advantage) from his 42 contests. What’s more, he also managed to walk off the ground in one piece. My mark for him may seem a little generous on face value, but when factoring in the expectations and his own inexperience at the level, he provided much more than what most Bulldogs fans would’ve hoped for – 8

12. Harvey Gallagher

Looks to have fitted in quite well in the Bulldogs midfield setup, even if the numbers don’t show it. Just the 11 disposals for him this week, but worked hard all around the ground, and was even trusted to feature in a handful of centre bounce combinations. Will continue to improve with more opportunities – 5

13. Oskar Baker

Called in very early due to the injury to Nick Coffield, Baker sent a strong message to selectors that he warrants a spot in the starting 22. Within 20 minutes of coming on, he’d already had two goals to his name, including a beautiful curling effort from the boundary line. Provided terrific run-and-carry right until the final siren, with his 415m gained from 19 disposals ranked third among all Bulldogs, and finished with a career-best three-goal return. Should be enough to see him keep his spot – 8

14. Rhylee West

A quiet afternoon, failing to hit the scoreboard from his 12 disposals, although a third of his touches did result in scores. It’s hard to know if his spot is in jeopardy just yet; there were some strong performances in the VFL over the weekend, but it might just come down to whether the Bulldogs feel like any of those players can play West’s role – 4

17. Nick Coffield

Attempted in vain to effect a marking contest in the defensive goal square, and in doing so injured his shoulder. He was subsequently removed from play just 10 minutes into the match, with only one handpass to his name. The early signs are that this will be the last we see of Coffield for a while, which is a shame given how hard he has worked to get to this point – 1

19 – Liam Jones

Heading into the match as the sole legitimate key defender against a forward line consisting of Ben King, Jed Walter, Levi Casboult and Jack Lukosius (although he was used primarily in defence), Jones was exceptional in quelling their influence. The four talls combined for just three goals all afternoon, while Jones himself led the way with seven intercept marks. The Bulldogs took 28 as a team – a club record – 8

20. Ed Richards

Put together a very impressive three quarters, with 19 disposals at 84% efficiency, while also taking four intercept marks of his own among his nine intercept possessions. Received an unfortunate head knock in a fair incident against David Swallow, and was subsequently forced to enter concussion protocols – the third time in his career. Will miss at least one game – 8

21. Tom Liberatore

Matt Rowell had been the chief destroyer in the midfield for the Suns to begin the season, and Liberatore went straight to him from the opening bounce. It was a fascinating head-to-head contest that lasted all afternoon, and while Rowell collected 25 disposals, it’s hard to argue that Liberatore didn’t come away with the points. His typical tenacity in the contest sae him record seven clearances from his 20 disposals, while one of the nine tackles he laid resulted in an important goal in the third term – 8

23. Laitham Vandermeer

Was much better this week, and worked really hard all day. In the end, it only amounted to 12 disposals and three score involvements, but it’s his effort that sees him score well this week. No Bulldog completed more sprints than him (21), and his three tackles inside-50 were a game-high – 6

24. Buku Khamis

Playing as an undersized key defender for the second week in a row, Khamis put together arguably his best game as a Bulldog. Only had the 10 disposals, but of his six marks, five of them were intercepts and two were contested, showing the defensive nous that Bulldogs fans have been crying out for. Even floated forward to kick a goal in the opening term – 8

Buku Khamis celebrated a rare goal on Sunday, but it was his five intercept marks that caught the eye. Source: Getty Images

25. Caleb Poulter

A quiet afternoon, although Luke Beveridge did reserve praise for his efforts along the wing post-match. Finished with 0.1 from just eight disposals, and went at a concerning 37% efficiency. Not guaranteed a place in next week’s side - 3

29. Lachlan Bramble

A second solid performance to start the season; he’s already looking a smart pickup from Hawthorn. Picked up 20 disposals and seven marks across half-back, and distributed the ball at an efficiency of 85%. Didn’t gain as much ground as last week (209m) but it was another tidy display – 7

31. Bailey Dale

Looked more settled and impactful this week, despite producing similar numbers to his Round 1 efforts. His 23 disposals and seven marks across half-back was a solid return, as he also picked up six intercept possessions, which was bettered by only two Bulldogs – 7

33. Aaron Naughton

Like Ugle-Hagan, Naughton struggled for most of the afternoon when pitted against Sam Collins, but what was most encouraging was that he was still able to have an impact on the game. Over the course of the match, he picked up 16 disposals (although 11 of those were handpasses) and kicked 2.1, while also playing a role in nine scores. Not his most dominant game, but still had an impact from limited opportunity – 6

34. Bailey Williams

Thrown into defence early after the injury to Nick Coffield, Williams adjusted well to the change in role, albeit in a position that he was experience playing in. Collected 17 disposals, including five intercepts, at an efficiency of 84%. Didn’t star, but did his job - 6

35. Caleb Daniel

Trusted with a role in the starting 22 this week, Daniel played an important role in the win, even if the numbers don’t reflect as much. Only recorded the 18 disposals and wasn’t at his efficient best (72%) but sat behind the ball for a fair portion of the game, and helped to set up several Bulldogs attacks – 6

39. Jason Johannisen

With every passing week, he continues to look more settled back in his familiar role in the defence. Had another 25 disposals with six rebound-50s and five inside-50s, with his 375m gained ranked fifth among all Bulldogs. Also contributed plenty in an attacking sense, with two goal assists to his name as well - 7

44. Tim English

Didn’t take advantage of the absence of Jarrod Witts when it came to the ruck duel with the inexperienced Ned Moyle (25 hitouts apiece) and the Bulldogs lost the hitout-to-advantage count 14-12, but once again it was English’s work around the ground that set him apart. His 15 disposals and eight tackles set the tone through the midfield, while Darcy’s exploits going forward allowed English to sit behind the ball, picking up four intercept marks across the game - 7